Disable Smilies in This Post. Show Signature: include your profile signature. Only registered users may have signatures.

*If HTML and/or UBB Code are enabled, this means you can use HTML and/or UBB Code in your message.

If you have previously registered, but forgotten your password, click here.

T O P I C R E V I E W

Sceptic1

I'm currently interested in obtaining a pre-crew change pin for the STS-133 mission, and have discovered there are two distinct versions, for both Kopra and Bowen mission specialists, presently in circulation.

Vendors describe both types as 'official,' but only one has the 'ABemblem.com' legend on the back.

Any explanation would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Spaceguy5

Personally, I have three variants of the pin — one with Kopra and one with Bowen, which both say they're official NASA and both list ABemblems.com on the back, and one with Kopra that says it's official NASA but does not list ABemblems.com on the back. It is also just barely smaller than the other two.

Robert Pearlman

As it happens, I had created a graphic to illustrate the many different types of space shuttle mission lapel pins when STS-133 was flying.

(And even this graphic is not complete, as it was created before I had an example of the USA "Kopra" and NASA "Bowen" cloisonne-style pins.)

In the upper left are the two pins AB Emblem produced (Kopra and Bowen). These are inscribed on the back "STS-133 NASA ABEmblem.com".

AB Emblem however, is not the official contractor for NASA lapel pins. Space Center Houston at one time used to stock them, but they were not the pins that were flown on the shuttle or worn by NASA managers and flight controllers during briefings.

In the lower left are the "Launch Team" pins (Kopra and Bowen) that were produced for team members at Kennedy Space Center. These were not widely sold to the public. Their backs are blank.

In the top middle is the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex's "pin-on-pin." A trend started by Disney, this is an enlarged pin with another smaller pin (in this case the shuttle) attached to it.

KSCVC started the production of these with the flight of STS-117 (before Anderson was added to the crew). Their backs read "® KSC China".

In the lower right are two unrelated pins. One is made by the same company that made the Launch Team pins in the same "offset printed" (or "photographic") style but without the "Launch Team" tab at the bottom.

The other was sold by the Visitor Complex before Winco could deliver "Bowen" corrected pins. It has a blank back.

The two pins in the upper right are Winco International's cloisonne-style "Kopra" pins. They differ only by the back. Both have inscribed "STS-133" but one has "NASA" printed out (the style sold to the public) and one has the Boeing logo. Another type exists with the USA logo.

Winco also later produced for NASA a version with "Bowen" instead of "Kopra."

Winco is the official supplier of mission lapel pins to NASA. They provided the pins flown onboard the missions and those worn by managers and flight controllers during press conferences.

In the bottom middle are two pins, also produced by Winco, but in the offset printed style. These were the first pins that Winco produced with the Bowen name change.

They have "STS-133" and either "NASA" or "USA" printed on the reverse, along with "Made in USA." According to Winco, Boeing did not order this version.

Sceptic1

Many thanks for your replies guys, and particularly yours Robert, which contains exactly the detailed information I was hoping for.

It now appears that, in addition to the AB Emblem version, the other pin I have seen is the cloisonne-style version produced for NASA by Winco. Confusingly, it was supplied by a website using a picture of the AB Emblem version, but at least the "official" description was correct.

I have now ordered another pin from a different supplier, also showing the AB Emblem version (and also claiming to be official). It will be interesting to see what turns up! Thanks again.

OV-105

This brings up an interesting question. AB Emblem is the "official" patch but is there an "official" pin? I do like the pin on pin 133.

Sceptic1

Given the plethora of pins for the STS-133 mission, I can see how that may not be an easy question to answer. However, if "official" means "as used by NASA", then my choice for the definitive STS-133 pin would be the offset printed version with Stephen Bowen, made by Winco and stamped "NASA" on the back. But others might not agree.

For STS-133 only, the offset printed "Bowen" Winco version is substituted as it was what was available at the time the mission flew.

Sceptic1

Thanks for clarifying that Robert. I'm pleased it appears I made the correct choice for STS-133. Since I imagine the offset printed style pin is likely to be relatively hard to find now, any suggestions as to where one could be obtained (at a reasonable price)?

OV-105

Now the big question is did Winco make them for other companies or did they takeover/merge with other companies? I have some pins from 1986 to the mid 1990s that have NASA on the back, that came on cards with the design information from Ho Ho Art & Craft Int'l Co., NY, NY. Those came on blue cards. Then I also have some that are Peninacle Designs, Canoga Park, CA on red cards.